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To all Christian People & more perticularly to their Maties Justices of the Peace for Somerset Court

The humble request of John.Pott in the behalf of his Kinsman John:Earles of Bristoll now in Slavery w^th the Turkes humbly sheweth

That the Petioners poor Kinsman being Master of a New Shipp belonging to Bristoll & w^th Bound for some place in

America who Sailed from Bristoll the 21^th. of March last and was unfortunately taken by a Sally man of Warr, & now in Captivity

under the King of [Fez]and Suffers Sad afflictions, not only by Sore blows & Stripes but also by hand labour & hunger as by a letter

written to the Petioner by sd Earles Wife from Bristall will appear. The ransom for said Earles being so great, and his relations

there in Bristoll not able to raise the Sum as necessitate to Supplicate all well affected Chistians to extend their Charity towards –

his Ransom As for Collecting what Shall be given. I leave my friend Maj^r Rob^t:King to take Care and to Send acco^t by my friend

Levin Denwood, what may be expected the premises Considered.

         May it therefore please y^r Worps to Consider the Case of Said Earles now in Slavery and Order Some way by County levy or

        Otherwise for his relief knowing that what is given in this Case, is not lost, and the Petione^r as bound in duty shall pray &ca.

Which Petion was Read and Sent up to the Grand Jury.(who made return on y^e reverse Side of Petion viz Wee of the Grand

Jury are willing that three pound p^r head out of the Taxable p^rsons be allowed to sd Earles if y^r worpps think fitt.

                                                                Petion Granted & 3^£ . p^r head allowed sd John. Earles.

     John: Goldsmith Petioned y^e Wor^ll. Court to be Tax free. which was Granted for this year provided the Sherif Could find

   any Concealed or other Taxable person, not yett given in to y^e Gen^rll List. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

        Yesterday it was Ordered that y^e Sheriff Sumons Ja. Willis & Henry Miles for Jn^o M^cknit w^ch this day was returned Sumoned

        Likewise the Sheriff returned Amos Parsons Sumoned to answer Complaint of John:M^cknitt. But y^e sd Amos refused to

        Obey the Sumons as appeard to y^e Court. Whereupon the Court Ordered That Amos Parsons aforesd app^r at o^r next County

        Court to answer his Contempt, and to be in Custody till sd Security given for his Said appearance. - - - - - - -

                                                                                                                                                                                ord^r. sent

To the Wor^ll.Justices of their Maties Peace for the County of Somerset in Court now Sitting The Petion of Nicholas Cornwell humbly

Sheweth. That whereas y^r Petioner hath a Servant Called Edward.Hogg who hath been much given to run away from his

Service. have in Court the account of his run away time being ready to produce having payed Considerable according to

Act of Assembly for takeing of him up & bringing of him home. Your Petioner Craves y^r Worpp^s Order for the disbursements I

am out, and also for his Service for his time he hath Run away & absented himself from his Service And y^r Petioner as in

duty bound Shall ever pray &ca. Nicholas Cornwell.

                The Petion being read y^e abovesd Edward Hogg being Examined did Confess to one hundred & one day that he had

                run away from his abovesd Masters Service – And y^e Said Nicholas Cornwell made Oath to sd 101 day runaway

                time Which this Court grants Order for w^th. Cost &ca. But the Said Nicholas Cornwell promised in Court

                that if the sd Edward Hogg did well & truely Serve out the rest of his Indented time, that he would but take

                the one half of y^e runaway time ordered p^r Court &ca w^th Cost als Executio //

ffebruary the 11^th 1692/3

                Pressed for their Maties use & Service upon y^e acco^t of a Search made at the house of Ellis: Colemans

                Alexander M^cculloch. day - - - 1                      Of Wm Robersson pounds of Salted Pork - - - - -  34

                Daniel M^cdonnel. dayes - - - 4                      of Jn^o.Purnel. One potle of Rum.

                James:Clarke - - dayes - - - 4                      of Jn^o. Goddin 1:dayes provision & house room for 4 p^rsons

                Alexander:Barret: dayes - - - 4                     of Elis Coleman pounds of Salted porke 30 salted beef 8½

                Wm:Stevenson. dayes - - - - 3                     and one bushell of Indian Corn. by me Constable of BogateNorten

                Edw^d Shipham dayes - - - - 7                     hundred: Nicholas: Cornwell.

                Cornelius: Gordon dayes - - - 7                     Which sd acco^t the sd Cornwell made Oath to in open Court to be [true]

                Geo:Banam dayes & ½. - - - - 1½                     and therefore y^e Court Orders Ellis: Coleman pay y^e Severally

                Geo: Bishopp dayes - - - - - 3                     for their dayes Worke ten pounds p^r day als Executio.

                Tho: Brumley day - - - - - - 1

                Wm: Day - dayes - - - - - - 3

                Jn^o: [Watt] dayes - - - - - 6